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A doctrine is something learned or taught–We couldn’t ask for a greater mentor than designer Teresa Sung of Doctrine Jeans. She manages to show us just the way American premium Men’s and Women’s denim should be done through her unique washes and details in a hand-made jeans. Their range is wide, from slim jeans, to gaucho pants and capris. Doctrine’s jeans all have a unique but subtle signature back pocket detail derived from their arrow logo. We showed you five ways to wear your Doctrine denim, and now you can read our exclusive interview below…

Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. How did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Doctrine: I realized that I wanted to design after many years of working at product development and different technical aspects of the industry. As I became more involved in design and development of the denim category, I knew in my heart that I had the strongest desire to find out more about the markets, trends, fabric, silhouettes, etc… it was then that I knew then I wanted to design.

DT: Are there other denim brands you consider your immediate competition? How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?

Doctrine: At Doctrine Jeans we truly believe that patience is a virtue and this is what separates our brand from the others. We start our designs with thorough market research and carefully select our fabrications. With patience, we strive to get the most out of each chosen fabric after numerous tests and processes here at some of L.A.’s best laundry houses. It is important to determine the best fit for each particular fabric and then be meticulous about the design process. We feel this extra effort is essential to keep consistency in our fits and comfort, which ultimately is the most important thing!

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?

Doctrine: We have a great design team where we put our teamwork first before anyone or anything. This allows us to work in cohesive environment where our creativeness comes about. We have our own conventional ways to prepare designs. We start out by researching the trends, concepts, colors, details, fabrics, and treatments then proceed, with precise and effective planning.

DT: Describe the person who represents your ideal target customer—the customer you have in mind when you’re planning a collection.

Doctrine: My ideal customers are people who want to look and feel great in a pair of denim but also understand the value of good design, great fabrics, superior wash techniques, and excellent workmanship with attention to detail.

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next?

Doctrine: We just finished our fall line and in process of starting our SS2012. I want to give a twist in our spring/summer with light colors and lighter weights. I’m just excited to see how it’s going to play out at the end.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?

Doctrine: It’s too early to tell right now since we are such a young company. I just want to be focused on what is working.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?

Doctrine: Straights and slim straights are most popular fits for men’s. And the popular washes are dark denims and dark stone washes with natural whiskers. As for women’s, our “moto jeggings” is the most popular fit and we also offer super bellbottoms and gaucho which are drawing a lot of attention.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?

Doctrine: My favorite denim trend right now is flare jeans. You can dress up and look hot in great blouses and blazers. Also, I love wearing boyfriend fits. It’s so relaxing and casual to wear!

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?

Doctrine: Its influence is phenomenal and helpful when identifying new trends and developing the designs. Eclectic styles from the streets and comments from knowledgeable bloggers are inspirational. The fashion mix from an ever changing culture and the insights available by way of comment about their fashion tastes are refreshing and courageous as well as empirical.

DT: How many pairs of denim do YOU own?

Doctrine: Too many to count!

DT: Favorite celeb wearing your brand?

Doctrine: We have literally just had our first run of production for men’s and many of the top celebrity stylists, representing the likes of Adrian Grenier, Jonas Bros, Ryan Seacrest and Zac Efron have all picked key styles.. As mentioned above – Doctrine Women’s is being eagerly awaited by many stylists and female celebrity notables.